O Mighty Lord,
and leader of the house of Israí«l,
who appeared to Moses in the burning bush,
and on Sinai gave him the law,
come to redeem us with outstretched arm.

The Mighty Lord, the one who can save us with an outstretched arm. He comes with power and in radiant glory, on clouds, with chariot wheels of fire. Power, might, strength, authority, supremacy, control, command… synonyms we recognize when we think of that God — the one of the Parousia.

Redemption was begun with God’s outstretched arm, His reaching out to meet us in the form of a child, a child holding his arms out, seeking the comfort of his mother. Not power in any sense we understand.

Redemption was indeed accomplished with God’s outstretched arm — stretched out on the wood of the cross. What kind of power is that? It is the antithesis of the God we want. Yet that is the power of redemption accomplished through perfect love. True power is synonymous with love.